Tuesday, September 4, 2007

MORE CENSORSHIP AT THE FXI ?

I note that the blog section on the right hand side of The FXI website has also been disconnected.

Before I start campaigning for its return, perhaps you can let me know why it has been removed.

viva etcblacklisted etc

SEP 4TH at 2pm

Further to the above email, I phoned Jane Duncan. It was the first time that we have spoken on the phone although we had previously chatted at an FXI SABC demo.

Jane said that she was surprised that the blogs had disappeared and she hoped that the blogs would shortly reappear on The FXI website. She said that it was a techno issue and had nothing to do with censoring my views.

I also reminded her that it was now more than three weeks that the comments had been disconnected. She admitted that it was a long time and said that she hoped that they would reappear in the near future.

The good news is that Jane said that she does actually read FIX THE FXI and we can only hope that she seriously considers some of the issues that this blog raises. To be fair to her, unlike Na'eem Jeenah, she does at least recognize that FIX THE FXI is making some important points ( although she doesn't agree with all of them).

However, it is important that The FXI reinstates its comments section, together with the comments posted asap. I also hope that the blog section will shortly resurface. The FXI have an obligation to ensure that freedom of expression returns to their website. Techno excuses are really not good enough!

I have just spoken to Na'eem in connection with the blog section on the FXI website. He says that there is a technical problem and will be in touch with you in connection with this.

Please be assured, we are not censoring you. Even though we often don't agree with you, we value your interest in the work of the FXI.

Regards,

Jane

(The above is the only email that I have received from Jane in 2007. So although she values my '"interest in the work of The FXI" she obviously feels that such interest does not warrant reasoned replies from The FXI. A pity, especially when you consider that the work of The FXI is theoretically based on freedom of expression.)

the blogds stream was disabled yesterday because, it was discovered, it was messing up the line length of the right column of the website. It is being looked at and will be reinstated as soon as possible when the problem is fixed.